April 10th, 2017

Population Institute Canada applauds the New Brunswick government’s announcement that the abortion pill, Mifegymiso, will be made available for free to all women in the province covered by provincial health care.

This is an important decision, one that will go a long way toward removing the financial barriers to women’s access to abortion in New Brunswick.

For women in the rest of Canada, however, the cost of Mifegymiso remains prohibitively high (anywhere between $300-$450). Other restrictions, including the requirement that doctors rather than pharmacists must dispense the first of two doses of the pill, are affecting roll-out across the country, and it is not yet widely available, even though it received approval from Health Canada almost two years ago.

Medical abortions are much more cost-effective than surgical abortions, which are typically covered under provincial health programs, but are often difficult to obtain for women living outside of large urban areas. Population Institute Canada therefore calls on all provinces to provide coverage for Mifegymiso to all women seeking medical abortions and to eliminate other barriers to seeking access to it.

It’s time for the rest of Canada to follow New Brunswick’s lead.

Contact: Madeline Weld, PhD.
President, Population Institute Canada
Tel: (613)833-3668
Email: [email protected]
www.populationinstitutecanada.ca